GB2365802A

GB2365802A - Apparatus for crushing glass bottles

Info

Publication number: GB2365802A
Application number: GB0019643A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Allan Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-08-10
Filing date: 2000-08-10
Publication date: 2002-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2020-08-10
Also published as: GB0019643D0; GB2365802B

Abstract

An apparatus for breaking up bottles, jars or other containers of glass, comprises a compression unit for receiving the glass container to be broken up, the compression unit having a pair of jaws (14,15) and means (17,18,19) for closing the jaws (14,15) about the glass container, to apply compressive forces for breaking the glass container. The apparatus may be manually operated by means of a wheel (28, see figure 1) to turn screw shaft 17, or may be operated by a lever or a powered mechanism.

Description

Glass Rec clin A aratus The present invention relates to an apparatus for breaking up bottles, jars or other containers of glass, for the purpose of recycling glass.

It is common nowadays for receptacles to be provided in public places, into which people may put empty glass bottles etc. for recycling. Many people fail to use these facilities because of the need to carry large boxes of bottles from home to the collection site. Moreover, the collection receptacles are only able to accommodate a limited number of bottles before themselves requiring removal. Various machines have been proposed for breaking bottles into small pieces of glass, in order to increase the number of bottles which can be accommodated by a receptacle of given size: however, the machines which have been proposed hitherto are of complex construction and not suited for use at home.

I have now devised an apparatus for breaking glass bottles etc., which is of relatively simple construction and straightforward to use, and which may be used at home.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for breaking up bottles, jars or other containers of glass, the apparatus comprising a compression unit for receiving a bottle, Jar or other glass container to be broken up, the compression unit having a pair of jaws and means for closing the jaws about the bottle etc. to apply compressive forces for breaking the bottle.

Preferably the arrangement is such that the bottle is received in the compression unit in a vertical orientation. Preferably the apparatus comprising means for supporting the bottle when received within the compression unit and prior to closure of the jaws, yet allowing the broken pieces of glass to fall from the bottom of the compression unit after the bottle is broken. For example, a displaceable shutter may be

provided for this purpose.

The jaws of the compression unit are preferably of elongate, arcuate form, with adjacent longitudinal edges pivotally mounted. Preferably the jaws are provided with an array of projecting teeth or spikes over their inner faces. Preferably means are coupled to the opposite longitudinal edges of the jaws for moving these towards each other to close the jaws about the bottle to be broken. Thus, a screw-threaded shaft may be coupled between these edges of the jaws, and a hand-wheel provided on the shaft: alternatively, a lever- operated mechanism may be provided. Powered means may be provided for closing the jaws, instead of manual ly- operated means.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a front view of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention, for breaking up glass bottles etc.; FIGURE 2 is a vertical section through the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the compression unit of the apparatus.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown an apparatus for breaking up glass bottles etc., the apparatus comprising a unit 10 for compressing and breaking the bottle, the unit 10 being mounted in a tubular casing 22 at the top of a receptacle 20. The casing 22 of the compression unit 10 is provided with a lid 24 at its top end and a shutter 26 extending across its bottom end.

Referring particularly to Figure 3, the compression unit 10 comprises a cylindrical support frame 11 which includes an upright member 12 to which a pair of jaws 14,15 are pivotally mounted. The jaws 14,15 extend vertically and are

arcuate in section: an adjacent pair of vertical edges of the jaws are pivoted, via elongate hinges 14a,15a, to the upright member 12 of the support frame 11. On their inner faces, the two jaws 14,15 are formed with an array of teeth 16. The opposite or free vertical edges of the jaws are interconnected by a screw-threaded shaft 17, which passes through mounting blocks 18,19 provided on the outer faces of the jaws. one end of the shaft 17 projects through the side wall of the casing 22 of the compression unit, where it receives a hand-wheel 28, shown in Figure 1. In use of the apparatus, the lid 24 of the casing 22 is removed and a bottle is inserted to stand upright on the ,shutter 26 and between the jaws 14,15: the lid 24 is then replaced. Next the user turns the hand-wheel 28 manually to close the jaws 14,15 around the bottle: sufficient compressive forces are applied to the bottle, via the teeth 16 of the two jaws 14,15, that the bottle breaks up. The shutter 26 is then opened to allow the broken pieces of glass to fall into the receptacle 20. Before the next bottle can be broken up, the hand-wheel 28 is turned in the opposite direction in order to open the jaws 14,15 sufficiently wide.

The receptacle 20 is removable and replaced by an empty receptacle once full. The receptacle which is removed may then be collected for its glass contents to be recycled.

Whilst the apparatus which has been described includes a screw-action mechanism for closing the compression jaws 14,15, alternative mechanisms may be provided instead, for example a lever-action mechanism.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus which has been described is of relatively simple construction yet straightforward to use and effective in breaking up bottles, jars or other containers of glass.

Claims

CLAIMS 1) An apparatus for breaking up bottles, jars or other containers of glass, the apparatus comprising a compression unit for receiving a bottle, jar or other glass container to be broken up, the compression unit having a pair of jaws and means for closing the jaws about the bottle, jar or other glass container, to apply compressive forces for breaking said bottle, jar or other glass container. 2) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, arranged so that the bottle, jar or other glass container is received in a vertical orientation in said compression unit. 3) An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, comprising means for supporting said bottle, jar or other container when received within said compression unit and prior to closure of said jaws, yet allowing broken pieces of glass to fall from the bottom of said compression unit after said bottle, jar or other container is broken.

4) An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which said supporting means comprises a displaceable shutter. 5) An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said jaws are of elongate, arcuate form with adjacent longitudinal edges pivotally mounted. 6) An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, comprising means coupled to the opposite longitudinal edges of said jaws for moving these towards each other to close said jaws about the bottle, jar or other container to be broken.

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7) An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which said means for moving said jaws towards each other comprises a screw-threaded shaft coupled between said opposite longitudinal edges of said jaws. 8) An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said jaws are provided with an array of projecting teeth or spikes over their inner faces. 9) An apparatus for breaking up bottles, jars or other containers of glass, the apparatus being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.